How Glicence Vehicles Must be Identified
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IMAGINARY difficulties concerning the identification of C-licence vehicles have arisen in the minds of some
people. For instance, a commercial vehicle repairer telephoned to The Commercial Motor to expose what he at first thought to be an oversight in framing Regulation 12 (2) of the new Goods Vehicles (Licences and Prohibi tions) Regulations, 1936, which requires that after October 1 next, all C-licence vehicles shall carry an identity certificate in a waterproof container in a conspicuous place on the mar side of the vehicle.
Loaning Vehicles.
Our inquirer raised the question of the loaning of vehicles to ancillary users while authorized machines are under repair. Is it legal, he asked, to transfer the identity certificate from the service vehicle to the spare? He foresaw difficulties in following this procedure, because the registration number inscribed on the identity certificate of the authorized machine would not tally with that of the loaned vehicle.
Actually, the position is quite simple. An ancillary user who does not keep spare machines should apply, at the same time as he makes application for his C licence, for a hiring allowance to cover emergencies. He will then be issued with an identification
disc in respect of each service vehicle and a special hiring-allowance identity certificate to cover the temporary units. The question of transferring an identity certificate does not, therefore, arise.
If, however, a hiring allowance be not held, it will be necessary for the operator to apply for a variation of his C licence before lie can use a temporary vehicle. In the case of a small trader, the delay caused by this procedure might have serious consequences.
Some doubt may also have been created regarding the identification of C-licence vehicles under Section 2 (7) of the Road and Rail Traffic Act. This sub-section allows an ancillary user, who already holds a licence, a month in which to make application for a C licence for a vehicle which he has bought or has acquired under a hire purchase agreement. •
Directly the operator takes over a vehicle in this manner, it becomes authorized, although a licence has not been granted, but, as the vehicle is not authorized under a licence, no identity certificate is necessary. , Of course, at the end of the month, if the owner does not apply for a C licence, the authorization expires and he renders .himself liable to prosecution for running an unlicensed vehicle.
The new regulation concerning the identification of C-licence vehicles has been introduced because the previous method was found to be unsatisfactory. Therefore, after October 1, when the regulation comes into force, it will not be necessary to paint the number of the C licence on the side of the vehicle,
Uniformity in Identification.
The regulations concerning identification are now uniform for all clasSes of vehicle—A, B and C. If an identity certificate be not displayed, the operator renders himself liable to a penalty not exceeding 5.
It should be understood that an 'identity certificate must also be held in respect of each trailer used and must he affixed either to the trailer or to the vehicle drawing it.
When a vehicle is disposed of, the certificate must at once he returned, with an explanatory note, to the Licensing Authority.